Conventional side-release buckle assemblies typically include a female housing that is mated with a male housing. The female housing includes a fixed wall that includes openings bounded by fixed wall structures that receive and retain release mechanisms of the male housing. In order to disengage the male housing from the female housing, the release mechanisms are manipulated, such as by being squeezed together. Typically, the only portions of the buckle assemblies that may be manipulated in order to disengage the male housing are the release mechanisms.
Some users may find it difficult to disengage the male housing from the female housing. In short, if a user's fingers are too bulky, such as when the user is wearing mittens or gloves, portions of the buckle assembly may obstruct the user from fully manipulating the release mechanisms, making it difficult, if not impossible, to disengage the male housing from the female housing. For example, the user's fingers may engage the fixed wall structures of the female buckle housing while trying to squeeze the release mechanisms toward one another, thereby blocking and preventing full manipulation of the release mechanisms into a disengaged position.
Thus, a need exists for a buckle assembly that is quickly and easily buckled and unbuckled. Particularly, a need exists for a buckle assembly that includes a male buckle housing that may be quickly and easily disengaged from a female buckle housing.